Transporter truck for industrial establishments



Aug. 9, 1966 F. sKuFcA 6 TRANSPORTER TRUCK FOR INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS Filed, Dec. 21, 1964 2 Sheets-She ec' I Filed Dec. 21, 1964 Aug. 9, 1966- F. sKuFcA ,2 4

v TRANSPORTER TRUCK FOR INDUSTRIAL 'ESTABLISHMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IVINVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,265,404 TRANSPORTER TRUCK FOR INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS Francisco Skufca, 953 Uspallata Sh, Buenos Aires, Argentina Filed Dec. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 419,873 6 Claims. (Cl. 28079.3)

The present invention refers to a transporter truck with inclinable movable trays that has advantages over conveyor belts in such industrial plants as suffer from limited floor space, and can also be used for storage purposes and for connecting various mechanical operations.

As an example, in the textile industry, there is the need for a consant transport of bobbins, cops, cones, spools, etc., from one machine to another directly, without handling or soiling the goods.

The transporter truck for industrial plants which is the object of this invention comprises a rectangularly based framework, provided with Wheels and is characterized by having a plurality of carrier plates suitably attached to vertical frames disposed at the narrow ends of said framework, each pair of opposing carrier plates being fixed in the same horizontal plane and each carrier plate having two horizontal slots, the mutually adjacent ends whereof are curved downwards; a corresponding number of slidably movable trays, each of said trays being provided with a fixed stud at each end, adapted to enter and slide in said slots and the ends of said trays also being fitted with plates, extending vertically downwards, provided with a horizontal slot, within which a stud, fixed to the carrier plate and extending horizontally beyond said vertical plates, is sliding fixed, said studs of the carrier plates and trays being so disposed as to be at opposite ends of the respective slots when said trays are horizontal, while the studs are at mutually adjacent ends of said slots when the trays are in the inclined position.

For easier understanding, a description is given below of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrated by the attached drawings, as an example, suitable for use in the textile industry:

FIG. 1 shows a front elevation of the new truck.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of same, and

FIG. 3 shows a plan of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

The new transporter truck consists of a preferably rectangular base frame 1, upon the longer sides of which a suitable number of vertical frames 2 are fixed. Additional vertical frames are provided at both narrower ends of said base frame 1 lying at right angles with respect to the stretcher 2. A further vertical frame 4 reinforces the whole framework, being fixed along the longitudinal ax s of the framework between the frames 2 and parallel with them. All these elements are preferably metallic and the whole truck is so constructed as to conform readily with the usual sterilization treatment required in the pharmaceutical and food industries, or in other industrial processes where said treatment may be necessary.

The transporter truck of this invention is provided with four wheels, one pair of which is fixed 5 at the middle section of the base frame 1 and on the longer sides of same. These two wheels are non-swivelling and are preferably carried by longer bearings than the other two wheels 6, 6. These latter wheels 6, 6' are freely swivelled and are fitted at the middle of the shorter sides of the base frame 1, i.e. one at each end of the truck. This arrangement results in the truck always being supported on two, or on three wheels, and enables same to be moved in any direction without difficulty in those industrial plants where free floor space is strictly limited.

A number of carrier plates 7 are attached to the frames 3 which stand at the ends of the trucks, each opposing 3,265,404 Patented August 9, 1966 pair of said carrier plates being in the same horizontal plane, as can be seen in FIG. 1. Each plate 7 has two curved slots 8, 8, said curves being directed downwardly, where adjacent to the longitudinal center-line of the truck, while the straight extensions of said slots are directed away from said center-line.

The two carrier plates 7 in any individual plane serve as supports and guiding elements for two trays 9, 9'. Each of these two trays 9, 9' is provided with a stud, 10, 10' at each end, said studs being adapted to fit slidably into the slots 8, 8' respectively. The trays 9, 9' are further provided with plates 11, 11' fitted to their ends and extending vertically downwards. Each of these vertical plates, 11, 11' has a long, horizontal slot 12, 12' serving as a guide for studs 13, 13' which protrude horizontally from the carrier plate 7. The trays 9, 9' are provided with supporting elements, such as hooks, railings, projections, etc., namely such suitable elements as are most adequate according to the goods to be transported.

In the embodiment here illustrated, each tray 9, 9' is provided with two rows of conical supports 14 upon which the cones 15 can be slipped, but these supports can be of any shape, according to the goods to be transported by the truck.

The distance, vertically between shelves 9, 9 is such as to leave only a minimum of free space unused between said shelves; this dimension also being dependent upon the goods to be transported.

As can be seen at the left of FIG. 1, the trays 9, are horizontal and the studs 10 and 13 are at opposite ends of the respective slots 8 and 12.

At the right side of the same FIG. 1, the two trays 9, one of which is loaded with wound bobbins 15 and the other of which has unloaded cone-supports 14, can be seen in the inclined position, in which case the two studs 10 and 13' are at mutually adjacent ends of their respective slots 8 and 12 and serve as guides and stopping elements, so arranged as to prevent further inclination of the respective tray 9'. It is in this position that the tray 9, which rocks upon its longitudinal axis to adopt the desired angle of inclination, assumes the most suitable position, for loading and unloading. The fact that the trays 9, 9' can be inclined, results in their protruding only a small distance beyond the framework of the truck, thereby requiring only slightly more space than when said trays are in horizontal position. Were they to be withdrawn horizontally for loading or discharging, the space required would be substantially greater.

Once the operation of loading or unloading has been performed, a mere push is sufficient to return the tray 9 to its horizontal position within the framework of the truck.

It will be evident that this operation requires practically no force, even when the trays are fully loaded, in view of the fact that the movement of inclination results from a mere sliding of the studs in the slots and the trays return to their horizontal position of equilibrium almost automatically.

It is understood that, in practice, various modifications could be made in the details of the embodiment herein described and illustrated without interfering with the true scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a transporter truck, a framework consisting of a rectangular base frame and vertical frames at each of its sides and ends, said framework being suitably reinforced and mounted upon wheels, .a plurality of pa'rs of horizontal carrier plates fixed to the vertical frames of the two shorter sides, said carrier plates being arranged so that every two opposing carrier plates are in the same horizontal plane, each carrier plate having two horizontal slots, the mutually adjacent ends of which are curved downwards; a series of slidably movable trays being provided with a stud at each end adapted to slide in one slot of a pair of opposing carrier plates, the ends of each tray being provided with suitably shaped vertical plates extending downwardly, each plate having an horizontal slot into which a stud protruding from the carrier plate is slidably fitted, the studs on the carrier plates and those on the trays being disposed so that, when the trays are in the horizontal position, the studs are at mutually distant ends of their respective slots, and when the trays are in the inclined position, the studs are at mutually adjacent ends of said slots.

2. A transporter truck in accordance with claim 1, in which each tray is provided with at least one set of supporting elements for the goods to be transported.

3. In a transporter truck, a framework consisting of a rectangular base frame and vertical frames at each of its sides and ends, said framework being suitably reinforced and mounted upon four Wheels, the wheels that are tfixed to the longer sides being fixed, and the wheels fixed to the shorter sides being swivelled, a plurality of pairs of horizontal carrier plates fixed to the vertical frames of the two shorter sides, said carrier plates being arranged so that every two opposing carrier plates are in the same horizontal plane, each carrier plate having two horizontal slots, the mutually adjacent ends of which are curved downwards; a series of slidably movable trays being provided with a stud at each end adapted to slide in one slot of a pair of opposing carrier plates, the ends of each tray being provided with suitably shaped vertical plates extending downwardly, each plate having a horizontal slot into which a stud protruding from the carrier plate is slidably fitted, the studs on the carrier plates and those on the trays being disposed so that, when the trays are in the horizontal position, the studs are at mutually distant ends of their respective slots, and when the trays are in the inclined position, the studs are at mutually adjacent ends of said slots.

'4. A transporter truck in accordance with claim 3, in which each tray is provided with at least one set of supporting elements for the goods to be transported.

5. In a shelving, a framework consisting of a rectangular base frame and vertical frames at each of its sides and ends, said framework being suitably reinforced, a plurality of pairs of horizontal carrier plates fixed to the vertical frames of the two shorter sides, said carrier plates being arranged so that every two opposing carrier plates are in the same horizontal plane, each carrier plate having two horizontal slots, the mutually adjacent ends of which are curved down-wards; a series of slidably movable trays being provided with a stud at each end adapted to slide in one slot of a pair of opposing carrier plates, the ends of each tray being provided with suitably shaped vertical plates extending downwardly, each plate having a horizontal slot into which a stud protruding from the carrier plate is slidably fitted, the studs on the carrier plates and those on the trays being disposed so that, when the trays are in the horizontal position, the studs are at mutually distant ends of their respective slots, and when the trays are in theinclined position, the studs are at mutually adjacent ends of said slots.

6. A shelving in accordance with claim 5, in which each tray is provided with at least one set of supporting elements for the goods to be stacked.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 672,921 4/ 1901 Slingsby 280-79.3 1,518,497 12/1924 Flood et al. 28079.3 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 230,303 4/ 1963 Austria.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primaly Examiner. C. C. PARSONS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TRANSPORTER TRUCK, A FRAMEWORK CONSISTING OF A RECTANGULAR BASE FRAME AND VERTICAL FRAMES AT EACH OF ITS SIDES AND ENDS, SAID FRAMEWORK BEING SUITABLY REINFORCED AND MOUNTED UPON WHEELS, A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF HORIZONTAL CARRIER PLATES FIXED TO THE VERTICAL FRAMES OF THE TWO SHORTER SIDES, SAID CARRIER PLATES BEING ARRANGED SO THAT EVERY TWO OPPOSING CARRIER PLATES ARE IN THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE, EACH CARRIER PLATE HAVING TWO HORIZONTAL SLOTS, THE MUTUALLY ADJACENT ENDS OF WHICH ARE CURVED DOWNWARDS; A SERIES OF SLIDABLY MOVABLE TRAYS BEING PROVIDED WITH A STUD AT EACH END ADAPTED TO SLIDE IN ONE SLOT OF A PAIR OF OPPOSING CARRIER PLATES, THE ENDS OF EACH TRAY BEING PROVIDED WITH SUITABLY SHAPED VERTICAL PLATES EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY, EACH PLATE HAVING AN HORIZONTAL SLOT INTO WHICH A STUD PROTRUDING FROM THE CARRIER PLATE IS SLIDABLY FITTED, THE STUDS ON THE CARRIER PLATES AND THOSE ON THE TRAYS BEING DISPOSED SO THAT, WHEN THE TRAYS ARE IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION, THE STUDS ARE AT MUTUALLY DISTANT ENDS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE SLOTS, AND WHEN THE TRAYS ARE IN THE INCLINED POSITION, THE STUDS ARE AT MUTUALLY ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID SLOTS. 